Website: www.trustchildren.org.uk
## **Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2021**
## _**Aims and Purposes**_
The objectives of our charity are to relieve poverty and hardship among needy, poor and orphaned children in India through the provision of shelter and nutrition, health, education, general welfare and vocational training programmes, and in particular to support the work of TRUST and the TRUST Children’s Homes.
## _**Activities**_
In support of these objectives we have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and have made grants to the TRUST Children’s Homes. Through the generous support of Trusts and individuals we have been able to help one major capital project to completion this year (see below) and we have also been able to make a contribution to the costs of education as well as to help with the regular costs of food and of staff during financially challenging covid lockdown periods. We have helped to ensure that the children in TRUST’s care are able to look forward to a secure future.
Education is vital to enable the children to look forward to a safe and independent life. The children from the Children’s Homes attend local schools. Basic Primary and Secondary education is provided free by the State, but there are costs for uniform, books and for other incidentals. After leaving school the provision of further academic, technical or vocational education, according to ability and interests, is vital to enable the children to lead independent adult lives. Lockdowns to try to control the covid pandemic have disrupted school and college courses for a second year – schools have been closed periodically and exams have been cancelled. Nevertheless, the expenses associated with the new academic year did happen and we were able to help with the extra costs.
The older children who have left school and are away at college, often staying in hostels during term time, have usually returned to the Children’s Homes to stay with their ‘extended family’ during holiday periods. A major project to build two simple small Hostels close to the Children’s Homes, one for boys and one for girls, has continued. We have appealed for funds to support this capital project and generous Trusts and individuals have made vital contributions. The Girls 18+ Hostel was completed before the pandemic and has provided a safe space for older girls. Building work on the Hostel for 18+ Boys was continued during this year and the hostel will be ready to be opened early in 2022.
The regular and reliable support from our monthly donors has helped to pay for regular school expenses, staff salaries, medical costs and day-to-day grocery bills. The cost of food has increased significantly during the pandemic. In normal times there would be around 200 occasions in a year when a local family or group would come to the Homes and provide and share a meal with the children. This has not been possible during lockdowns, which has further increased the need for our support to help feed the children. Our regular donors have enabled us to make regular transfers to support TRUST in providing a future for around eighty destitute children who are predominantly from a poor, rural background in the far south of India.
Foreign visitors are welcomed at TRUST Children’s Homes and we have a role in providing advice to potential visitors from the UK. Visitors help the children with their English and broaden the children’s life experience. Sadly, it is not at all clear when it will be possible for such visits to be started again. However, if anyone reading this has an interest in visiting the TRUST project please get in touch with us through our website to express this interest.
Although the pandemic has prevented any of our trustees from visiting the Children’s Homes in 2021, one of our number did meet Dr Thirumaran while on holiday in India in December. We have tried to keep abreast of the needs and the challenges faced by Dr Thirumaran, who runs the Homes, by email.
Page 1 of 2
_“Leave footsteps – not follow footsteps!”_
Our charity is always looking for ways to provide support for projects that will help to make the Children’s Homes more sustainable. The provision of a secure water supply in their very dry area of south India is an on-going issue. There are wells and bore holes at both Homes; but the wells need to be dug deeper and further bore holes are needed. When there is water it is also possible to grow vegetables and reduce food costs. Both homes now also have solar panels, charging batteries to provide light in the evenings, reducing the cost of electricity. The boys have also been looking after a number of cows – providing milk for the boys and girls in the homes, fertilizer for crops, and a useful understanding and lockdown activity.
## _**Financial Review**_
The trustees have covered their expenses from their own resources so that all the money donated has directly benefitted the objectives of our charity. The charity’s income has all been transferred to TRUST in support of the children in its care. The main expenses (around 2%) are the costs of transferring the money to India and fees charged by card processing organisations when they collect donations on our behalf. There is no intention to maintain a reserve fund and regular transfers are normally made each month. The item ‘other transfers’ includes support for further education fees and, this year, a payment to cover significant debts to grocery suppliers etc accumulated during lockdowns. An Independent Examiner, as required by the Charity Commission, has examined our accounts. We are in regular and direct contact with the TRUST Children’s Homes and they report to us on their needs and the progress of capital projects.
## _**Governing Document**_
This has been our eleventh full year as a charity registered with the Charity Commission – Registered Charity number: 1139559.
## _**Trustees**_
Trustees are appointed for a term of five years at a meeting of the existing trustees. The trustees will always be delighted to hear from an individual who has an association with the TRUST Children Homes and who would like to offer their services as a trustee.
|INCOME|||||EXPENDITURE||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2021**|**2020**|**2019**|||**2021**|**2020**|**2019**|
|Brought forward|1055|714|919||Regular transfers to TRUST|12056|13891|11750|
|Regular donations|||9658||Transfers for Capital Projects|5209|5225|24470|
|Regular donations via bank|7746|7616|||Other transfers|6000|1250|3811|
|Regular donations online
(incl GiftAid)|5837|2725|||Cost of transfers|210|180|237|
|One-off donations|||21397||CharityCheckout sub|240|240|173|
|One-off donations via bank|7556|4883|||||||
|One-off donations online
(incl GiftAid)|1049|493|||Carried forward|2769|1055|714|
|GiftAid reclaim|3241|4610|6464||||||
|Placement fees|0|800|2717||||||
||||||||||
||26484|21841|41155|||26484|21841|41155|
||||||||||
Page 2 of 2
_“Leave footsteps – not follow footsteps!”_
Website: www.trustchildren.org.uk
## **Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2021**
## _**Aims and Purposes**_
The objectives of our charity are to relieve poverty and hardship among needy, poor and orphaned children in India through the provision of shelter and nutrition, health, education, general welfare and vocational training programmes, and in particular to support the work of TRUST and the TRUST Children’s Homes.
## _**Activities**_
In support of these objectives we have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and have made grants to the TRUST Children’s Homes. Through the generous support of Trusts and individuals we have been able to help one major capital project to completion this year (see below) and we have also been able to make a contribution to the costs of education as well as to help with the regular costs of food and of staff during financially challenging covid lockdown periods. We have helped to ensure that the children in TRUST’s care are able to look forward to a secure future.
Education is vital to enable the children to look forward to a safe and independent life. The children from the Children’s Homes attend local schools. Basic Primary and Secondary education is provided free by the State, but there are costs for uniform, books and for other incidentals. After leaving school the provision of further academic, technical or vocational education, according to ability and interests, is vital to enable the children to lead independent adult lives. Lockdowns to try to control the covid pandemic have disrupted school and college courses for a second year – schools have been closed periodically and exams have been cancelled. Nevertheless, the expenses associated with the new academic year did happen and we were able to help with the extra costs.
The older children who have left school and are away at college, often staying in hostels during term time, have usually returned to the Children’s Homes to stay with their ‘extended family’ during holiday periods. A major project to build two simple small Hostels close to the Children’s Homes, one for boys and one for girls, has continued. We have appealed for funds to support this capital project and generous Trusts and individuals have made vital contributions. The Girls 18+ Hostel was completed before the pandemic and has provided a safe space for older girls. Building work on the Hostel for 18+ Boys was continued during this year and the hostel will be ready to be opened early in 2022.
The regular and reliable support from our monthly donors has helped to pay for regular school expenses, staff salaries, medical costs and day-to-day grocery bills. The cost of food has increased significantly during the pandemic. In normal times there would be around 200 occasions in a year when a local family or group would come to the Homes and provide and share a meal with the children. This has not been possible during lockdowns, which has further increased the need for our support to help feed the children. Our regular donors have enabled us to make regular transfers to support TRUST in providing a future for around eighty destitute children who are predominantly from a poor, rural background in the far south of India.
Foreign visitors are welcomed at TRUST Children’s Homes and we have a role in providing advice to potential visitors from the UK. Visitors help the children with their English and broaden the children’s life experience. Sadly, it is not at all clear when it will be possible for such visits to be started again. However, if anyone reading this has an interest in visiting the TRUST project please get in touch with us through our website to express this interest.
Although the pandemic has prevented any of our trustees from visiting the Children’s Homes in 2021, one of our number did meet Dr Thirumaran while on holiday in India in December. We have tried to keep abreast of the needs and the challenges faced by Dr Thirumaran, who runs the Homes, by email.
Page 1 of 2
_“Leave footsteps – not follow footsteps!”_
Our charity is always looking for ways to provide support for projects that will help to make the Children’s Homes more sustainable. The provision of a secure water supply in their very dry area of south India is an on-going issue. There are wells and bore holes at both Homes; but the wells need to be dug deeper and further bore holes are needed. When there is water it is also possible to grow vegetables and reduce food costs. Both homes now also have solar panels, charging batteries to provide light in the evenings, reducing the cost of electricity. The boys have also been looking after a number of cows – providing milk for the boys and girls in the homes, fertilizer for crops, and a useful understanding and lockdown activity.
## _**Financial Review**_
The trustees have covered their expenses from their own resources so that all the money donated has directly benefitted the objectives of our charity. The charity’s income has all been transferred to TRUST in support of the children in its care. The main expenses (around 2%) are the costs of transferring the money to India and fees charged by card processing organisations when they collect donations on our behalf. There is no intention to maintain a reserve fund and regular transfers are normally made each month. The item ‘other transfers’ includes support for further education fees and, this year, a payment to cover significant debts to grocery suppliers etc accumulated during lockdowns. An Independent Examiner, as required by the Charity Commission, has examined our accounts. We are in regular and direct contact with the TRUST Children’s Homes and they report to us on their needs and the progress of capital projects.
## _**Governing Document**_
This has been our eleventh full year as a charity registered with the Charity Commission – Registered Charity number: 1139559.
## _**Trustees**_
Trustees are appointed for a term of five years at a meeting of the existing trustees. The trustees will always be delighted to hear from an individual who has an association with the TRUST Children Homes and who would like to offer their services as a trustee.
|INCOME|||||EXPENDITURE||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2021**|**2020**|**2019**|||**2021**|**2020**|**2019**|
|Brought forward|1055|714|919||Regular transfers to TRUST|12056|13891|11750|
|Regular donations|||9658||Transfers for Capital Projects|5209|5225|24470|
|Regular donations via bank|7746|7616|||Other transfers|6000|1250|3811|
|Regular donations online
(incl GiftAid)|5837|2725|||Cost of transfers|210|180|237|
|One-off donations|||21397||CharityCheckout sub|240|240|173|
|One-off donations via bank|7556|4883|||||||
|One-off donations online
(incl GiftAid)|1049|493|||Carried forward|2769|1055|714|
|GiftAid reclaim|3241|4610|6464||||||
|Placement fees|0|800|2717||||||
||||||||||
||26484|21841|41155|||26484|21841|41155|
||||||||||
Page 2 of 2
_“Leave footsteps – not follow footsteps!”_
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
TRUSTchildren Support Group UK
On accounts for the year
ended
31 December 2021
Charity no
(If any}
1139559
Set out on pages
PAbvibEI fi< IOLI ac¢qw¢rs
I report to the truslees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charily {'the Trust"} for the year ended 31112 12021.
Responsibllltlès and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation
basls of rèport of the accounts in accordance wilh the requirements of the Charilies Act
2011 {"the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carrying oul my examination, I
have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 14515){bl of Ihe Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no rnaterial matters have
come lo my attention connection with .
the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material
respect..
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
Iha accounts do not accord with the accounting records
Independent
examinerfs statement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a
proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached.
Please dele
he words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Slgned:
Date:
IT
-2bit
Name:
MIC£ 1kEqFff.
Relevant professional
quallflcatlon(s) or body
(if any):
Address:
6vxF. trtfsf ITL(rr,
WIrfTfewpG SfiU0J&,
7>fii DfrlT.
IER
October 2018